Homophobia festers in the shadows. No matter how enlightened certain organizations or individuals may appear on the surface, their true colors will eventually bleed through the rainbow façade.
So, how do we maintain our unabashed Pride when the season subsides? The answer: get loud.
Think outside the proverbial box and consider areas where gay rights are most endangered. Call your ruby-red Congressperson and assert your same-sex marital status. Challenge your ignorant neighbors to reconsider their backwards views. And broadcast equality in the biggest arenas, no matter how rowdy they may be.
Specifically: the sports world.
Gender stereotypes still dominate the rough and tumble realm of contact competitions, which is why it is so momentous when a team declares their commitment to diversity. Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque has done just that, loud and queer.
The rugby club recently issued the following missive on their Instagram feed:
“Today and every day, la @lnrofficiel (Ligue Nationale de Rugby) is calling for the end of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, a cause we hold close to our heart. We will continue to carry the universal values of rugby which are equality, respect and solidarity.”
Biarritz attracted the attention of mega hookup app Grindr, who announced their plan to sponsor the team to the tune of over 4 million euros (approximately 4.9 million U.S. dollars).
But the financial backing is small change, considering the fact that the tech giant is valued at over $620 million. The real news is that the players on Biarritz Olympique will be sporting (pun intended) Grindr’s signature logo on their jerseys…
Their sweaty, dirty, manhandled jerseys.
Pardon our flights of fantasizing, but this is a big, throbbing deal! It is easy to pay lip service (pause for innuendo) to LGBTQ+ causes, but wearing your Pride on the pitch is a bold, inescapable statement.
Speaking of statements, here’s what the collaborators released to the press:
“Grindr is excited to partner with JB Aldigé and the Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque Rugby Club. The club has been outspoken against homophobia and has committed to Grindr to continue its work to increase inclusivity and acceptance in the league and rugby overall.”
The next time the Biarritz boys clamor for the ball and writhe between each other’s thighs, they will be doing so in a decidedly gay way. The Grindr gear clinging to their rippled muscles serves as a second skin. Rugby fans will be cheering a squad that embodies liberation… and oh what bodies they are.
Hit the showers; we know we will.
Photo: Instagram @bopb_officiel
Last modified: June 3, 2021
